# Weekly Git Command #3: git stash

There are times when you’re in the middle of some work, but you’re not ready to commit yet, and suddenly, you need to switch branches or pull in new changes.

Before learning this command, situations like that usually meant either committing half-done work or copying changes somewhere else manually.

That’s where `git stash` comes in.

### What git stash does

`git stash` temporarily saves your uncommitted changes and gives you a clean working directory, so you can switch context without losing your work.

Think of it as putting your changes aside for later.

#### Basic usage

```bash
git stash
```

This:

* Saves your current changes
    
* Resets your working directory to the last commit
    

You can now safely switch branches or pull updates.

#### Viewing your stashes

```bash
git stash list
```

This shows all saved stashes, for example:

* stash@{0}: WIP on main: 1a2b3c4 fix validation bug
    
* stash@{1}: WIP on feature/auth: add login checks
    

#### Restoring your changes

To reapply the most recent stash and remove it from the stash list:

```bash
git stash pop
```

If you want to apply it without removing it:

```bash
git stash apply
```

#### When `git stash` is useful

I’ve found `git stash` helpful when:

* I need to quickly switch branches
    
* I’m not ready to commit unfinished work
    
* I want to pull or rebase without conflicts
    
* It helps keep my commit history clean while staying flexible.
    

#### A quick note

By default, `git stash` saves:

* Tracked files
    
* Modified files
    

Untracked files are not included unless explicitly specified.

### Final thoughts

`git stash` is one of those commands that quietly becomes essential once you understand it. It’s simple, powerful, and solves a very common workflow problem.

This post is part of my Weekly Git Command series, where I share Git commands I’m learning while contributing to Git via Outreachy.

**Next Step**: taking stashing a step further with `git stash -p` - the interactive mode!